This is our first “season” and it is a learning experiance for us. I’m trying to establish the direction of the show, fill the niche that I originally intended. That has led to some significant changes over the months the show has been on. The first episode bears little resemblance to the latest episode if you really look at the two side by side.

The vision I have is simple: An internet woodworking show for regular woodworkers. That means those of us who have small shops in our garages, basements and sheds. True, others target that same audiance. “Woodworking for Mere Mortals” does a great job, demonstrating projects that are simple to make with basic equipment. (I am personally a big fan) But Blue Collar Woodworking (BCWW) is different from Steve’s show in that we don’t make “projects”. Instead we make jigs and tools and shop improvements. The point of BCWW is to help regular woodworkers turn their regular workshops into the best workspaces they can be… without spending a lot of money to do it. It’s about woodworking on a shoestring, making your own stuff as much as possible, and making wise tool purchases when you have to.

For a while now there has been a thread on Lumberjocks.com with the show’s schedule for the rest of this year. It’s never been written in stone because I like to make changes as I see the need. But recent events have caused me to rethink the entire schedule… or at least a large part of it.

When BCWW began it was supposed to “document life in an everyday, small, semi-professional workshop”. Early episodes would tell you what we did that week and what we were working on for the next week. But it has evolved into something else. We have featured a lot less of the “happenings in the shop” out of fear that most people really don’t really care about that stuff. Instead we’ve done more on the jigs and such that we are always working on to improve the shop. While The Stumpy Nubs Workshop is an operating small business that makes things from wood, the show has become about the jigs and tools behind the scenes, and that is really not what we originally intended. Is this a bad thing or a good thing?

We enjoyed steady growth through the first couple of months. But once we began highlighting the jigs and tools we were designing, the ratings really took off from hundreds of weekly views to several thousand. Perhaps it’s an indication that you prefer the newer format over the original one?

The bottom line it this: We really began to grow when started to notice what our viewers really wanted to see, and to tailor the show accordingly. So it is good for us to occasionally ask everyone how we are doing, do you like the changes we’ve made, and what would you like to see different.

Here’s some of the changes we are working on right now: We are trying to have a new episode most weekends, and we are working on a series of “Stumpy Shorts” (1-2 minutes long) to be aired midweek. We are building a new website with streaming episodes, a regular blog and FREE jig plans and tips. (Set for release this fall). And we are planning on doing a lot more shows on woodworking jigs and homemade tools. We’re also sponsoring a new contest (the announcement was in episode #16)

So here’s where you come in: Tell us what you like about the show and what you could frankly do without. Tell us what you’d like to see more of, and what you really don’t care much about.

For example: You might like the humor segments and the jig builds, but you get board with the tool reviews. Or you may like the information segments, but you can do without the humor. Or you may want to see more tool reviews in future episodes… or you may want to see more jigs featured, or whatever…

What about the day it airs? We’ve been posting the new episodes on Sunday evenings. Would you prefer to see them at a different time or on a different day? For example, if we started posting them on Monday evenings (like has been suggested) would you be more or less likely to watch at that time?

Let me know your suggestions so Blue Collar Woodworking can become even better!

74 replies so far

You’ve come a long way. Definite learning experience? And you are still afloat. Great. You are an intelligent and clever guy. My hat is off to you for your courage and perseverance. When it appeared to me you might be drowning you showed a tremendous adaptive talent.

Love your practical approach and you are inovative. keep it up. Like your humor more when it’s sarcasm free? You have a good evelved target audience. But ya gotta have money to make it continue or like my wife says about my psych practice. “It’s not a hobby.”

I’m sure it’s time consuming? and if you have a day job great! If you are depending on this alone, I’m rooting for ya!

When I can look, I do go to the site. some things are relevant to me and others are not.

Guess I’d like to see you use all those nifty planes etc, on a simple finished build for the viewers. Like Norm or Charles Neil? ( sorry :() It looks like Charles loves your stuff. :-)

One of my clients who is involved in bringing people together said after being frustrated by asking people to present what they want, said “I think they want a leader.” She is being assertive, and says it has worked for her in the past.

I tried to adapt a woodworking group into a club in my area. HAHAHAHA. Don’t have the money orthe time to do it.

The best thing I can think to advice is make SURE the audience can SEE what you are doing! For example, I have looked far and wide for a GOOD video on the Porter Cable Dovetail jig. Doesn’t exist. Finally found one that appeared to be a demo someone put together. My excitement was dampened by the FIXED CAMERA, couldn’t see the devil in the details.

Oh, and maybe a voluntary email sign up for those that would appreciate show reminders?

Gee Jim, I’m enjoying it as it is. I’ll bet if you made some tweaks it would still be good. I enjoy watching the show even if it’s a topic that is not of particular interest to me. I don’t really have any suggestions so I guess this post is pretty much not helpful. Maybe if you were a little bit taller? How about that? Maybe about and inch or two. I’ll bet you get a lot of recommendations for height. Spalted maple elevator shoes?

(Just my luck you might have a napoleonic complex.) Sorry if you do. I don’t mean to offend. You actually have excellent communications skills for a short person.

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful.

I’ve got no complaints about when it airs, as long as it’s a regular thing! (Speaking of which, when’s the newest one coming out?) I’ve gotten to a point where I really look forward to a new episode every week.

The tool reviews are fine, and I love the jig and machine builds, naturally. That’s what the whole show is about, after all.

The editing is getting better, although sometimes the volume could stand to be evened out. Perhaps the intro montage with the music could be shortened. The humor is welcome, although the opening jokes have had a couple of groaners. I know, I know, you can’t please everyone…

Overall I really like the show, and it’s one of the main reasons I stick around here. Keep doing what you’re doing. You’re an invaluable resource.

Well, you’re two inches taller than me. So, now I do have a recommendation. I think your camera angle, mostly when in the chair, makes you look about 5’6”. There, something to work on. Put the camera on the floor pointing up. Cut the nose hairs first.

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful.

Stump i feel the same way leave your format alone, you have a plan stick to it you cant cover everything at once and you will be chasing your tail try too fill everyones needs. you will get there someone has to wait. its like jigs and fixtures everybody has a different ide,r on how to make things work. so stay with what you have planed.

AS far as the show i would like to see a little more content on making the individual parts and pieces and some more mid week shorts. Other than that great work so far where this weeks show i,am going through nubber with drawl.

The sound issue is something we’ve been working on. I’ve tried several microphones with disappointing results. The problem may be the camera. The new mic is good quality, but the testing I did over the weekend was awful. Since the mic sounds great when attached to the computer for background narration, it may be that the camera’s mic input is faulty.

I’ve been shopping for a new camera but it is very difficult to find a consumer model with a mic jack! I’m looking at a professional model, but that will be a big expense for our low budget, so it’ll be a few more weeks of sound issues, I’m afraid.

Those segments are usually dispersed throughout the show, some appear in every episode, others only occasionally. But the “meat” of the show is a jig or tool improvement, which makes up most of the show’s content.

All of that will stay the same. I’m NOT reworking the show format, just asking what type of content those segments should contain more of.

I must second BTimmons comment regarding the opening montage. My connection/computer is not always that quick to load videos. This sometimes makes viewing the show a bit cumbersome, besides with a shorter intro, you would have more time for the show itself.

My other “Bone of Contention” is the sometimes sporadic timing of episode releases, which is really just a symptom of BCWW withdrawls, as I have become addicted to BCWW and I am also a creature of habit. Of course the “Bone of Contention” is more of a “Bone Chip” & not a Mastodonic femur. I do realize that you produce & provide the show as a labor of love and that real life sometimes has a way of wreaking havoc on ones schedule.

On the positive side, I enjoy your cocktail of jigs, tool reviews, tips & tricks all blended with a twist of humor, followed by a “Cold One”!!!

You do a wonderful job with the show and provide a great service!!! All in all, I think my criticisms are rather minor, but they are what they are. Please continue to “Do what you do” and provide my much needed woodworking infotainment fix!!!

Thank you.

-- Randy-- I may not be good...but I am slow! If good things come to those who wait.... Why is procrastination a bad thing?

Doc- I don’t have what a regular person would call a “day job”. At least not a 9-5. I run three businesses with the help of a couple of partners. One is a residential service business that is seasonal, giving me lots of free time in the summer and winter, another is an internet sales business which operates three “stores” related to genealogical and historical research and artifacts. Those two pay the bills. That leaves all the income from the woodworking business (things made for sale in the shop and any revenue from jig plans, etc) free to re-invest into itself as it continues to grow.

Anyone who thinks they can make money off a podcast is nuts. The production costs far outweigh the ad revenue. It’s a labor of love, not a money maker!